Seeking Border Justice

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This website section is intended to serve as a tool to advocate against further militarization of the country's borders. It is a part of NNIRR's new initiative, Just Borders.

NNIRR has initiated Just Borders to advocate for the human rights, safety and dignity of all migrants and refugees by:

Exposing human rights abuses & the rise in migrant deaths

Calling for an end to racial profiling and violations of rights and due process

Pushing for demilitarization of the border

Ensuring community voices are present in policy affecting the region

Advocating for international migrants' rights and rights for all at borders

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UPDATE: February 15, 2019

After Congress refused to allocate The funds Trump requested for new border wall construction, he declared a National Emergency on the southern border. A number of lawsuits are expected and a resolution of disapproval is being considered in the House. Click here to read the declaration.

NNIRR organized a national sign on letter to Congressional leaders opposing increased funding for immigration enforcement and the wall. Read the letter here.

UPDATE: December 2018

At year's end, the Trump Administration is holding up approval of the national budget with its demand for funding of the "border wall". The federal government will remain on official "shutdown" while Trump continues funding to fulfill his campaign promise for a wall.

In the meantime, immigration policy under the Trump Administration has expanded a "virtual wall" of deterrence, shown here in this interactive feature from the Associated Press: Trump's Virtual Wall

UPDATE: November 2018

Over 200 organizations call on Congress to reject a funding deal that will produce more militarization and wall building on the U.S. -Mexico border. Read the letter here.

UPDATE: April 2018

NNIRR sent a brief letter, co-signed by some 200 individuals, to the White House and to the governors of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California, opposing the President's call to deploy National Guard troops on the border. Some 2,000 to 4,000 National Guard members are expected to be deployed to provide support to border patrol agents, who will be freed up to do direct immigration enforcement. California governor Jerry Brown opposed sending troops for immigration enforcement aims.

Just one year ago, 80 organizations and congregations urged members of Congress to oppose any efforts to build a wall or other barrier across the U.S.-Mexico border in a letter you can read here.

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The borders of the United States have been witnessing unprecedented militarization in recent years, building on about two decades of punitive border policies. This trend is inextricably tied to the rights of immigrants and refugees, who have been increasingly criminalized and abused as border security has intensified.

Rather than deterring migration into the U.S., intensification of border security has transformed American borderlands into warzones of permanent vigilance, deaths and human rights violations. During times when immigration reform is being nationally discussed, negotiated, and postponed, the idea of increasing border security seems to go unquestioned and unchallenged. Meanwhile, immigrants and refugees pay the price.

Although such occurrences are happening in all ports of entry into the United States (ACLU has reported that in fact all U.S. borders have become post-constitutional zones), we will focus on the curently most politicized and contested one: the U.S.-Mexico border. The following sections break down key aspects of the border:

Mainstream media and politicians coat discussions about immigration with the idea of a "border crisis." This conflated image immediately makes the militarization of border logical and reasonable, the border becoming a 'problem' that must be 'fixed.' But it also overlooks the history and reality of the frontier. Although brief, this section can give you a quick background to better understand the "border crisis:"

To be sure, border militarization is not new. It dates back to the early 20th century, if not earlier, and has been creeping upwards since the latest U.S.-Mexico borders were established. However, the recent tremendous spike in this trend is historically unprecedented.

This section examines the “Immigration Industrial Complex” and how corporate interests interconnect with border enforcement policies. Increasing “alliances” between private and public agents has further generated border militarization and the violation of human rights in the name of profit. Here we discuss for-profit detention centers, defense contractors, the construction of a border tech realm and corporate lobbying.

As militarization reaches new heights at the U.S.-Mexico border, migrant deaths have surged. Check out this section to learn more about this controversial site in which the basic human right to life is violated.

The Border Enforcement Accountability section reviews the role of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the border. To learn more about CBP's tactics and use of excessive force both at the border and within detention proceedings, click on the link above.

Given the current political situation, however, we have also dedicated a much-needed criticial space to the recent child refugee crisis in the United States, which is directly connected to the militarization of the border. Here you will find useful background information, data, resources and updated coverage of this extremely politicized refugee crisis.

This section provides very helpful resources and guides to understanding why the recogniton of human rights at borders is so fundamental. NNIRR has been involved in international collaboration for decades in order to adress the rights of migrants at borders. Check out the section by clicking the title above.

We have also compiled a list of groups currently working around the topic of border militarizaton. Although they each have a specific focus and strategy, all of work to transform the border and attain justice.